


A Rose By Any Other Name

by DimensionsInTime



Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: AU, Almost Kiss, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, First Kiss, Fluff, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Painted Petals Fest 2018, Potter!Merlin, Resolved Sexual Tension, Sharing Clothes, florist!harry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-14
Updated: 2018-03-14
Packaged: 2019-03-30 20:01:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13958937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DimensionsInTime/pseuds/DimensionsInTime
Summary: Harry and Merlin’s first meeting wasn’t exactly ideal, but it’s complex. Merlin has to resolve this sexual tension at some point, right?





	A Rose By Any Other Name

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He wishes he’d just gone for the damn kiss.

Harry had owned his floral shop for over five years now, this was his true passion. He loved flowers and the language they spoke and especially the butterflies they attracted. He loved butterflies since he was six years old, flowers came after only because of all the butterflies he could see with them. He loved his job, his routine, what more could he ask for? Except then there he was. The perfect man. Something as simple as his smile could begin to make Harry dazed. He could make Harry swoon with just a look, just that look.

And then there was Merlin. Merlin made pottery at a studio near Harry’s floral shop, coincidentally. Merlin loved getting his hands dirty with clay and being able to shape shapeless lumps into beautiful vases. His name being Merlin, obviously meant his parents were big fans of King Arthur, as was he. Merlin delivered handmade pottery to Harry’s floral shop on a weekly basis as a deal they’d made over three years ago. Merlin met Harry in a coffee shop, unfortunately his first greeting to the man was “ _Oh shite_ ”.

_“Oh shite!” Merlin mutters, his coffee spilling onto his new sweater vest. His first reaction was to get angry, brows furrowed together and lips in an angry pucker. Then he saw Harry, the man he’d bumped into. His face softens and his eyebrows raise into a smug look, what a curios. He physically felt himself falling, but that was impossible, he was standing still in the middle of a coffee shop with a stranger who was possibly the most handsome man he’d ever seen. Then there was a crash, and then he was on the floor and staring up at that beautiful stranger. Then his eyes closed and he was out._

_“Hello? Are you okay?” When he wakes, he feels himself propped up on legs, on a warm lap. And he’s staring at that beautiful stranger again. “Gave me quite a scare. I don’t normally have strangers faint after bumping into me.” He explains, all Merlin does in response is groan. Then suddenly he’s got a soft, wet towel on his head and it’s being swiped across his forehead. “Are you quite alright?” The man is asking, worried for why the other had fainted._

_“Yes...” Merlin groans and tries to sit up, the man making sure he’s okay as he does. He finally gets a good look at how the man in sitting and the fact they’re in the bathroom with the door closed. The stranger is crouched by the sink with the cloth in hand. Merlin assumed his head was laying across his lap since the man’s legs are tucked underneath him. “I’m alright.”_

_“You were out for ten minutes.” Harry smiles with a gentleness in his eyes. Then Merlin sees the wetness that spread across his sweater as well. “They assumed you’d fainted from how hot your coffee was. You got most of it on your shirt but some of it ended up on your trousers.” Merlin barely nodded, focused on the white sweater that was now stained brown. “Oh, don’t worry about my sweater, that was after the incident, from carrying you.” Then the very image of this very beautiful man carrying him to the loo is stuck in his head._

_“I’m sorry...” He says after some silence. “I do have a heat sensitivity.” He explains, his Scottish accent was becoming lighter and lighter as he came to, bracing himself against the wall. “I’m Merlin, by the way.” He reaches out to help the stranger off the floor._

_“Harry... Hart.” He nods and pushes his hand into Merlin’s._ What a gorgeous name for a gorgeous man. _Merlin gives a soft chuckle. “Oh, I said that out loud, didn’t I?” Merlin nods and crosses his arms, pushing off of the wall. Merlin walks to the not-so-much-a-stranger-anymore and leans in, their noses bumping._

_“How can I repay you?” He says in a quiet voice, low and rumbling. He almost makes a shudder run through Harry’s spine, but instead he decides to let his eyes close. Merlin leans closer, his own eyes closing as is the space between their lips._

_They’re lips almost touch and Harry almost gives away his undoting facade, his breath hitching. But when they hear the door handle turn they break so far apart that it was like they were never closer. Merlin is turning on the tap and wets his face before drying it with one of the rough paper towels._

Merlin wishes he just kissed the sodding man, they could’ve gone on a few dates and even if it didn’t end well he would keep the Londoner in his memories for awhile. But for now, they were in reality. So Merlin didn’t get to kiss Harry on a daily basis or hold his hand. But he got to see him and that was enough for Merlin, for now. He carefully held boxes of homemade pottery, carrying them to the back room of the floral shop. “Hello, Harry.” Harry is smiling, and then Merlin is falling again, falling _all over again_. He feels red crawl up his cheeks and neck, he couldn’t help it. He places the boxes onto the counter with a ceramic clank. He always hated that sound but forgot to cringe from being so distracted with Harry. He starts to unload the boxes, pulling out vase after pot of handmade ceramics. This was Merlin’s profession and passion, pottery. He taught classes and sold many ceramics, making a living doing what he loves.

Merlin decides the countertop is far too full of pottery to fit any more so he starts putting the vases onto shelves and the heavier pots go on the ground. He’s content with the heavy blush that’s taken over his face, turning around to reach for the last box of pottery. He grabs the last pot off of the table and arises from setting it on a low shelf, his eyes catch a glimpse of something as he starts to walk to the front of the store to find Harry but it turns out Harry’s already here. Then his eyes are closed and there’s a certain pressure against him.

It happens so fast that he’s responding before his brain knows why. All he could do was bask in the way the soft lips of his best friend were colliding with his. Then he’s running on instinct, wrapping his dried clay covered hands around the other man’s waist. Harry’s finally gone for it and just kissed the man, but he’s done it so suddenly that Merlin can’t help but think it was an accident. When he finally catches up with himself on what the hell he’s doing, he pulls his arms away and separates much like they did in the bathroom on the day they met. Merlin covers his mouth with one hand, ducking his head down and going around Harry. The thick canvas apron that Merlin has on rubs against Harry’s thigh, some of the wet clay from it transferring to his trousers. Merlin was going to walk away, until he felt a hand wrap around his wrist. Then he turns on his heel, feeling like some teenage confession in a sappy romcom. “It wasn’t an accident.” Harry says profoundly, softening his grip on Merlin’s wrist.

Merlin nods, dropping his hand and pulling out of Harry’s grip. He clasps his hands around Harry’s waist, familiar with the way it curves, and kisses him again- There isn’t much that Merlin isn’t familiar with concerning his best friend, especially after glancing at his arse whenever he decided Harry wasn’t looking- They don’t need any words to know exactly how they feel about each other, always working around each other and knowing they’ve been pining since day one, just too scared to make the first move. But Harry broke that always romantic tension between them, just wanting to hold a hand or even just a chaste one-time kiss to those ever so plump lips. They would brush against each other, just a little too close for a platonic relationship. But this was it, this was their something more and _damn, Harry couldn’t get enough_.

Then Merlin is working his best friend’s mouth open with a prying tongue, Harry allowing his mouth to be explored. Then Merlin was pushing him against the countertop, now cleared thankfully. Because Merlin is picking Harry up and setting him on it, Harry making quick work of their clothes. _Curse these damned aprons!_ Harry thought with a sigh of annoyance into their kiss. Their jobs had them both wearing thick aprons to avoid thorns or getting dried clay on their clothes, respectively. Their aprons and shirts land in a heap on the ground in less than thirty seconds flat.

“Harry...” Merlin pulls away, cupping Harry’s cheek and staring into his eyes. “I love you.” He says just to assure himself that Harry’s knows how he feels. Harry nods before quickly reconnecting their lips and pushing their grinding hips together in an endless curiosity.

“I love you-“ Lips brushing lips, hands roaming torsos and arses and legs. “I love you too, Merlin- _ah, Merlin!_ ” It turns into a gracefully loud moan when Merlin takes the opportunity to cup Harry’s growing erection in his trousers. It makes him feel even more like a horny teenager. “ _Fuck me..._ ” He’s practically whimpering with need, pulling himself closer to his partner and kissing him as if it’d fulfill his life goals. It’s all teeth and tongue, but perfectly sexy at the same time. Harry spreads his knees, pulling Merlin into the slot. He’s right on the edge of the countertop, at the perfect angle for Merlin to grind their erections together. Merlin growls into the kiss and slots his fingers into the soft curly hair on the back of Harry’s neck. Harry moans at the contact on his sensitive scalp, locking his ankles on Merlin’s back.

This is how the next hour is spent cleaning his countertop and cleaning themselves enough to deal with their new relations. Harry decides to close up shop, business is always slow on Tuesdays anyway. Harry makes tea in the small kitchen of the floral shop and they lean against the counter by the sink. “Harry...” Merlin says to catch his attention, putting his mug on the island counter in front of them. His now free hands reach out to Harry’s when he turns back to him. He takes Harry’s left hand into the palms of his own, holding it with both of his. He kisses right where a ring would be placed to be engaged and Harry bites his lip, he knows what that means. Merlin doesn’t even have to speak words, Harry knows how long they’ve wanted this and he completely agrees. Merlin steps two steps too close to Harry, their legs intwined and their chests nearly touching. Merlin kisses Harry again, one hand leaving Harry’s to support his mug instead, feeling it start to tip against his chest. “Don’t want that happening again.” He gently takes the mug from Harry, setting it to the side on the counter as well. Harry nods with a bright smile, resting his elbows instead on Merlin’s shoulders.

They lock lips in a soft, chaste kiss. Merlin loves this, loves Harry. He’s able to kiss him finally and it’s absolutely incredible. “Merlin,” Harry is starting to pick up the pace in the kiss again but he’s not wanting what had happened moments before. He’s wearing Merlin’s sweater as if he was showing possession and he’s absolutely infatuated with it. He hasn’t felt happier since the day he discovered butterflies. Merlin pulls his hands across Harry’s arms, studying the way they curve around his neck. “Darling,” Harry is simply calling Merlin out of affection. They go between kissing and staring and gentle nips to each other’s necks or jaws. “Baby...” this one is drawn out, stretched into a soft moan when Merlin bites a particularly sensitive spot. They’re leaned against the counter and Merlin’s is crowded against Harry unnecessarily, but in this moment he wishes he could be closer.

He pulls away from Harry’s neck to stare into his big brown eyes. “God, you’re fucking gorgeous, love.” He compliments. He hasn’t decided to tell Harry about the accidental hickey he’s left under his jaw as he figures he’ll see it later. “Harry, oh how I wish we could’ve had these years to ourselves.” He’s moving his hands lower and lower along Harry’s sides, along the sweater he’s given Harry. He’s down to only his plain heather grey t-shirt, his buff figure is complimented. He brushes Harry’s hair back behind his ear, smiling at Harry’s shy smile from the gesture.

“I love you... I couldn’t be happier in this moment, my love.” Harry says in a small tone that makes him seem small for a man standing at over one-point-eighty meters. “You’re sweater is terribly soft, I’ll have to spoil my shirt more often.” He teases, kissing Merlin softly in a quick kiss.

“I have no complaints about that, darlin’.” His Scottish accent became thicker with lust as he dove into Harry for a passionate kiss. He chuckled into the kiss, cupping Harry’s cheeks to pull him impossibly closer.

* * *

 

“I’ll be back for lunch, love...” He pushes the hair behind Harry’s ear again and hugs him just a bit tighter before reluctantly pulling away from the man he’s gladly called his love since the very first kiss. “I promise.” Merlin assures with a cheeky kiss to his lips, Harry kissing back with force intends to make him stay just a little longer. And it works, Merlin threading his fingers into the tiny hairs at Harry’s nape as he continues to kiss him. “Damn, Har, I need to leave...” He says between content sappy kisses.

“Merlin, you can’t, I can’t possibly survive this ever-so-busy Tuesday without you!” Harry acted as dramatic as Romeo, a cheesy smile across his face as he placed a hand over his heart. They’d been together for just over a month and a half but since their friendship, they’d quickly learned that Tuesday’s weren’t exactly the most popular day to buy flowers.


End file.
